St. Brendan's College (sometimes shortened to SBC) is an independentCatholic secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia. The school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1940 and opened with a total of 59 students. The school describes itself as "Australia's Largest Country Boys Boarding School", and has educated several leading National Rugby League players.
History
Groundbreaking for the school started on 8 October 1939 and presided by Romuald Denis Hayes, Bishop of Rockhampton. The school officially opened in February 1940 with 42 boarders and 17 day students. The first headmaster of St Brendan's was Brother Basil Gettons.
St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, a separate Catholic all-girls day and boarding school located further into the centre of Yeppoon, has shared a close relationship with St Brendan's. Both schools share a relationship with a Catholic primary school in Yeppoon, Sacred Heart.
The college song, Bordered by blue waters splendid, details the rural surrounds of the school near Mary's Mount, as well as confirming strength in faith-based learning.
In September 2022, the Christian Brothers Oceania Province announced it would withdraw from St Brendan's College at Yeppoon at the end of the 2023 academic year, ending 84 years of Christian Brothers affiliation. A farewell mass took place August 28, 2023.
Most Rev. Sir James DuhigKCMG, DD was the third Archbishop of Brisbane (1917–65) & the third Bishop of Rockhampton (1905–12)
Gettons
Rev. Bro. J. Basil Gettons c.f.c. was the founding headmaster of St. Brendan's College (1940–45)
Hayes
Right Rev. Romuald HayesSSC, DD was the fifth Bishop of Rockhampton (1932–45)
Tynan
Right Rev. Andrew Gerard TynanDD was the sixth Bishop of Rockhampton (1946–60)
Headmasters
The Rector of St. Brendan's College has been a Christian Brother from the foundation of the college until the appointment of Simon Dash, the first layprincipal, in 2003.
The school accepts students of all faiths and backgrounds.
The school hosts the largest rodeo of the CRCA circuit. The rodeo is held annually over the Father's Day weekend (the first in September in Australia). The school also holds a cattle club and stud program. The school allows students to bring their own cattle to prepare for shows.[4]
Associations
As one of the 27 Christian Brothers Colleges founded throughout Queensland, St. Brendan's College Old Boys continue to provide Officials, Coaches and Players to this uniquely Queensland Association of Brothers Old Boys Clubs.
^Tuite, Kerry (2000). "St Brendan's College, Yeppoon"(PDF). Submission for the Federal Government Inquiry into the Education of Boys. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 August 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
^Brij V. Lal; Kate Fortune, eds. (2000). "John Momis". The Pacific Islands: an encyclopedia. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN978-0-824-82265-1. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
^ abcMcKay, Pam (31 May 2017). "Star duo keen to maintain St Brendan's proud tradition". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 18 July 2022. St Brendan's library is a testament to the college's "Queenslander" heritage with a half-St Brendan's, half-Maroons jersey taking pride of place alongside school photos of its rugby league super stars, including Oates, Matt Scott, Paul Bowman, Julian O'Neill, PJ Marsh, Ben Hunt, Jake Granville and Dave Taylor
^ abcdThompson, Michael (6 August 2019). "The top 10 NRL talents from Kirwan High and St Brendan's". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 18 July 2022. ...Kirwan State High School and St Brendan's College Yeppoon have produced a remarkable array of NRL talent... PJ Marsh (St Brendan's)... Corey Oates (St Brendan's)... Paul Bowman (St Brendan's)... Ben Hunt (St Brendan's)... Matt Scott (St Brendan's)...